Southern Laos Adventure 10 days

Morning

After arriving at Pakse International Airport, our tour guide will meet and be transferred to check in the hotel. 

The capital of Champasak Province was founded by the French in 1905 and is a relatively new town between the Mekong and Se Don rivers. We will first visit Ban Khoh, which majors in stone carving.

Then transfer to the nearby Wat Chomphet. The pagoda hosts the biggest sitting Buddha in Laos.

Afternoon

We will climb to the top of Wat Phou Salao to admire the panoramic scenery over the town of Pakse, and the nearby area, whilst the dark is coming over the city.

Stay overnight in Pakse.

Morning

After leisure breakfast, we will depart to Pakse and onto the Bolaven Plateau. Located high above the Mekong Valley, the Bolaven Plateau is known for its cooler temperature. 

Stop at a tea farm and have a brief visit to Tad Fan Waterfall which has a picturesque twin chute. 

We continue to visit Tad Yeung where we can immerse refreshingly before into the mountainous area. Let’s start to travel to Tha Teng market, a vibrant ethnic minority food market.

At the same time, we will visit a few fascinating minority villages like Ban Bong Neua, an Alak village that boasts a sacrificial altar, and Ban Bokphung, a Katu village where coffins are beneath their houses. 

Then we start trekking Tadlo Waterfalls and check out Ban Kieng Tangle and Ban Nanong in the Tadlo area. 

Evening

The dinner is served in a treehouse or the lake-side bungalow. The guest house was built by French couples who first came to Laos in 2007 and fell in love with the hospitality of the local people. 

During dinner, we have a chance to converse with them about their efforts in assisting local people cope with daily life and have a better future.

Morning

After breakfast, we will meet the Jeep tour guide at Chai Coffee and talk with him while enjoying a cup of coffee. 

Continuously, tourists comfortably dip in the fresh cool water and visit the nearby vegetable farm after driving 30 minutes to Tad Moun Waterfall by Jeep car. 

11:00, we move to the Coffee Farm via the 10km tough road for 1 hour by Jeep. Upon arrival, our host will demonstrate the coffee Roasting step and finish with a coffee cupping to savor the different kinds of coffee (Robusta, Arabica, and Typica). 

Picnic lunch on the farm around 13:30 before visiting nearby the refugee cave, which was a hidden shelter by the local villagers during wartime.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, we will continue the trip by walking along the farm to see the volcano mountain, Phou Sanark where the sunset can be seen marvelously over the farm. 

Evening

You have a chance to cook Lao food with our host while preparing dinner. Overnight at the tent camp at the coffee farm.

Morning

After eating breakfast, we transfer to Laven village named B Setkhord by driving a Jeep. Upon arrival, we can walk around and listen to our guide for more stories of this village. Then we drive to Tad Say Waterfall to have a picnic lunch in nature. 

Afternoon

After lunch, we will drive to B Darsia of Suay Village to see many unique traditional houses. Here, the family for daily activities like cooking, eating, sleeping, and also the place for many generations to share together. 

Around 16:00, come back to Pakse and hop on the waiting minivan to transfer to a remote area, Tad Tayicseua. Upon arrival, we will stay at Tad Tayicseua Guesthouse after check-in. You are free to relax for the rest of the day. 

Morning

We will walk to the nearby Ja Rou Kiet Oak Waterfall early in the morning. Here, enjoy the sunrise over the town. 

Come back to use breakfast and continue to trek the official route made by the guesthouse owner. The arrival time will be at least 3 to 4 hours depending on your health. 

Explore the most magnificent waterfall of the Bolaven Plateau, Ja Rou Ha Lang. You can feel the cool refreshing mist when close to the falls and admire vividly colored flora and banana trees in the wind flowing through the water. 

Continuing the journey, you can discover more elusive waterfalls hidden in the forest like Ja Rou Man Druen. Or Ja Rou Tha La Leui valleys with great swimming pools. Dip yourselves in water truly enhances the experience.    

Picnic lunch will be prepared inside anywhere in the forest while the sound of nature is the only thing you can sense. 

Afternoon

Free time to enjoy and immerse yourself then turn back to the guesthouse at Pakse to stay at night. 

Morning

We depart to Wat Phou by road after having breakfast. Wat Phou, recognized as a World Heritage Site, is an ancient Khmer religious complex from the 5th century.

Our group tour will walk through the small town of Champasak, which used to be French colonial buildings. 

Stop at the wood carving village of Ban Nong Bune before transferring further to the 4000 islands area called “Sipandon”. This biggest island of Done Khong where the Mekong stretches over 14 km wide, between a variety of islands, creates waterfalls and rapids.

Stay overnight at Done Khong.

Morning

After having breakfast, we take a boat to Mekong crossing by peaceful island villages and forests until we arrive at a small island to spend lunchtime and relax. 

Afternoon

We continue onwards to Don Khone Island passing many small islands. Go back to Done Khone in mid-afternoon and rest at the hotel. If time permits, walking around the island is an option to learn more about local lives and view the sunset along the shore of the Mekong River. 

Overnight in Khone Island.

Morning

We will spend a short time in the morning after having breakfast to visit some of the colonial buildings on the island. Then depart to Liphi Waterfall, a spectacular waterfall in Ban Khone. 

Our picnic lunch will be served near the waterfall. 

Afternoon

Then we paddle downstream to Ban Hang Khone to take in the beautiful views through some much more tranquil waters and the gorges. Here, we continued paddling briefly to reach an area where dolphins inhabited. 

Afterward, we return via boat back to Khone Island to spend the night.

Morning

We will ride our bikes to the end of Don Khone Island after having breakfast. 

Here, a short boat will take us to Don en Island and begin paddling, from here we journey downstream for 2 hours to Thakhek village, passing through thrilling rapids along the route! 

Upon arrival for a while, we board an awaiting tuk-tuk which transports us to the wonderful Khone Phapheng Waterfall. Take time to admire amazing views and enjoy a picnic lunch here. 

Afternoon

After lunch, we walk back to the falls to see the waterfall from a different perspective and another amazing set of views. Then move to Pakse and stay overnight. 

Free walk around the town and explore the local life before taking the departure flight back to the next destination. Our Southern Laos tour finishes.